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Millennials Master the Second Screen: More than Three-quarters use Second Screens When Watching Video, According to Consumer Technology Association

Arlington, VA – January 28, 2016 –

More than three-quarters (88 percent) of millennials engage in second screen behaviors when watching video content, the highest percentage of any demographic, according to a new study from the Consumer Technology Association™ (CTA), formerly the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)®. The report, 2015 Video Consumption Trends: Part 1 and Part 2, explores consumer video device and content preferences, and consumption trends.

Second Screen Behavior
While watching video content, half of online Americans use second screens via another device such as a smartphone or tablet to augment first screen content to: access information about the content they’re viewing (50 percent), watch content on other devices during commercials (48 percent) and follow social media discussions either related or unrelated to the programming (43 percent). Millennials (ages 18 to 34) are far more likely to engage in second screen behaviors than adults 35-years and older – 71 percent engage with social media while watching video content (40 percentage points higher than adults 35 and older), and 70 percent watch content on another device during commercials (32 points higher than adults 35 and older).

“More than ever before, consumers – especially millennials – are using non-traditional devices such as computers, tablets and smartphones for content viewing,” said Steve Koenig, senior director of market research, Consumer Technology Association. “As technology continues to improve, consumer behaviors and expectations also evolve – but televisions still reign as the preferred viewing device in American households today.”

Changing Content Consumption Habits
While television remains the most-preferred device for viewing most video content,
screens on other devices (computers, tablets and smartphones) are preferred collectively for watching streamed content (57 percent, 13 points higher than televisions). For most types of video content, millennials are more likely to watch from non-traditional devices (42 percent) compared to adults 35 and older (22 percent).

Overwhelmingly, the top reasons consumers purchase televisions rather than non-traditional content viewing devices are screen-size (80 percent) and picture quality (62 percent), with cost coming in at a distant third (29 percent).

Cord Cutting
One in 10 consumers (11 percent) reports having cancelled his or her service provider subscription in the past year, usually citing alternate options available at a lower cost (27 percent). Additionally, 21 percent of consumers report they haven’t had a service provider subscription for more than a year, with many (32 percent) reporting they did not watch enough TV programming to justify the subscription costs. While traditional Pay TV providers including cable, satellite and fiber-to-the-home remain the most-used resources for accessing and consuming content (61 percent), more consumers are now receiving content through paid video streaming services (46 percent, a seven percentage point increase from 2014).

CTA research projects revenues will reach $19 billion for all TV sets and displays in 2016, on par with 2015, as volumes drop one percent to just under 40 million units. Driven in part by the market introduction of next-generation technologies, 2016 will be a phenomenal year for 4K Ultra High-Definition (UHD) TVs with shipments of 4K UHD displays projected to reach 13 million units (an 83 percent increase), with revenue expected to top $10 billion.

2015 Video Consumption Trends: Part 1 and 2 was designed and formulated by CTA Market Research, the most comprehensive source of sales data, forecasts, consumer research and historical trends for the consumer technology industry. Please cite any information to the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)TM. The complete report of Part 1 and Part 2 is free to CTA member companies at members.CTA.tech. Non-members can purchase Part 1 and Part 2 of the study at store.CTA.tech.

About the Consumer Technology Assocation

Consumer Technology Association (CTA)TM, formerly Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)®, is the trade association representing the $287 billion U.S. consumer technology industry. More than 2,200 companies – 80 percent are small businesses and startups; others are among the world’s best known brands – enjoy the benefits of CTA membership including policy advocacy, market research, technical education, industry promotion, standards development and the fostering of business and strategic relationships. CTA also owns and produces CES® – the world’s gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer technology. Profits from CES are reinvested into CTA’s industry services.